Nease WR Ellis commits to Southern Miss

All-State receiver Ryan Ellis has decided where his football career will continue.

The Nease senior announced this week that he will join the Southern Mississippi football program next year.

"I wanted to go to a school where the coaches really wanted me and the players wanted me," Ellis said.

Ellis made his only official visit over the weekend in Hattiesburg, Miss.

He said he was impressed with the campus, the football program and the people he met.

"All the players, they're the nicest people I've ever met," Ellis said. "It just seems like I fit in there.

"I was so impressed that I just committed right away."

Ellis had been courted off and on by some schools from bigger conferences, but Southern Miss has been consistently interested in him.

That unwavering commitment clearly impressed Ellis.

He is also happy with the style of football the Golden Eagles play and the stability of the program. Jeff Bower has been the head coach at Southern Miss for 15 years after playing quarterback for the Golden Eagles and being an assistant.

Southern Miss played Tuesday night against Arkansas State in the New Orleans Bowl. It was the fourth straight season in which the Golden Eagles have been in a bowl game.

Ellis figures to help Southern Miss quickly. He caught 101 passes for 1,777 yards and 15 touchdowns this season.

He had three TD receptions in the Class 4A state championship game, tying a record. Ellis was named First Team All-State as a junior when he had 74 receptions for 1,600 yards and 16 touchdowns.

Southern Miss has had a balanced offense, which certainly attracted Ellis. Former Orange Park quarterback Dustin Almond passed for more than 2,600 yards in the regular season.

"It's great how they throw it and spread it out," Ellis said.

The Golden Eagles will open the season next year at Florida, which has commitments from Ellis' teammate Tim Tebow as well as St. Augustine stars Jacques Rickerson and Brandon James. Along with Ellis and Tebow, Nease linebackers Hunter Haynes (Wake Forest) and Charlie Kirschman (Alabama) have committed to Division I-A programs.